Its fame is due to gifted owners Magnus Scholz and Aubrey Laret, with a lengthy list of design skills (contemporary art, furniture, architecture, interiors and soft furnishings) between them.

The talented duo first found the house when calling on a friend who lived nearby in Dulwich.

“We were attracted to this council house, one of only six houses in the road and close to Peckham Rye Common. It had lots of light and was larger than the others, as it was at the end of the terrace,” Scholz explains.

Even though some locals were anxious about the Victorian redbrick building becoming a contemporary pad with a jet-black façade and acid yellow windows, the planners liked the designs. They suggested Scholz and Laret extend within permitted development rights, applying later to finish the renovations.

It took four years to complete the work, because of the two planning submissions. “We did most of the work during holidays and on the weekends,” says Scholz. The duo also tackled nearly everything themselves, “except for the roof, gas and electrics. It’s good to have something unique we can call our own.”

The two designers twisted the house round, adding on a ground floor timber extension providing more living space (the house has expanded from 70 to 105 square metres), with sliding eight-metre glazed doors opening straight onto the garden.

“It was important to position the house away from the street,” Scholz argues, who says this turnaround now makes the living room his favourite space.

“I’m sitting enjoying the sunshine, reflected light on the pond, the birds and my neighbour’s cat. We’re always part of the garden here.”

Another key feature is the master bedroom suite with its roomy dressing room and bathroom, lit by an enormous skylight set in the roof space. Meanwhile, guests are undisturbed in the second bedroom on the floor below.

What advice would Scholz give to anyone nervous about taking on a council property?

“I’d tell them to think again. Former council houses usually aren’t listed, so they’re easy to do up. And, they can put up with a lot of knocking about.”